Mind Map

Candy Crush Review- Double Page Spread.

Report: Computer Game Components.

Report: Computer Game Components.

The characters in computer games vary depending on the genre and target audience of the game. Some characters are timid and some are hard-core. They all have there own image and style depending on the game itself. Characters can be both male and female and can even be supernatural for example animals, monsters and zombies. The terrain also varies depending on the genre of the game it could be on land, in a house, in water, in a city, in a desert or war grounds. The Terrain normally links in with the image of the characters for instance if the character was wearing an army uniform and armed with weapons the terrain would normally be on a war ground.

Most games are set in 1^st person as you select a character and play as if you were them however there are certain games that are played in 3^rd person for example car racing games.

Game play in all games is totally different but they all have some sort of goal you have to achieve for example on ‘candy crush’ the goal is to switch round the candy and clear the jelly to complete levels. The levels then get harder as you progress through the game. Also in ‘Nazi Zombies’ the goal is to survive for as long as you can killing zombies to stay alive. Some games go on forever however other games have rewards for completing levels and can be completed as a whole. You can also go back to the start after completing the whole game and start again from level one.

Controls on the game vary from the type of game you are playing for instance ‘Nazi Zombies’ controls are different compared to ‘Just Dance’ because the aim to win is different. This is also the same for the type of music in the back round it varies due to the genre of the game for example ‘Candy Crush’ music will be happy and calm. This will be completely different to ‘Nazi Zombies’ because they will include sound effects to add tension and adrenalin.

The target audience for games changes depending on the genre. Some games are targeted at a specific audience and some have a range of people that they are trying to attract. Certain games have age limits for instance shooting games are aged 15+ because of the violence and can even be 18+ for hard-core games. However some games are aged 7- because the game is aimed at a younger target audience. Games can also be aimed at a specific gender for instance ‘Call Of Duty’ is aimed at males in general but females can also play.

Games can also have sequels to make more money and change parts of the gameplay to make it more interesting. Some intense gamers actually wait outside shops at ridiculous times to make sure they get a copy before they sell out.

Overall I have discovered all games are completely different but have some similarity’s to attract gamers.  

Part 2: Review Evaluation.

I have looked at four different game reviews and the conventions they involve. Many elements were repeated throughout the ones I looked at but varied depending on the media format. When looking at the print reviews I noticed certain elements were repeated in all of them like all the text was laid out in columns. I think this is so it’s easy to read. Also all the print reviews featured big bald headings and often the colour of the heading would match the colour scheme throughout the review, I think this is to make it more appealing and eye catching. As well as these elements I found many more that were repeated in all of them. They all had a list of likes and dislikes and a personal opinion on the game. The reviews also contained information on what platform the game can be played on.

The reviews I looked at did differ depending on the media format for instance the online review I looked at was someone actually playing the game and using voice over to review it. The voice over was very informal and chatty compared to the print reviews I looked at. The language used was completely different and more laid back. Where as the language in the print articles were formal and not so chatty. Although some conventions are different I did notice some similarities to the print reviews like he included his personal opinion on the game and also the star rating and platform information.

The print reviews I looked at where written in 3^rd person however the YouTube review was in 1^st person. I think this is because the YouTube review was done personally by a gamer at home, where as the print reviews were articles in a magazine.

All the reviews I looked at were structured well. They all started with a brief explanation of the game, they then go into more information about the gameplay. They then go on to talk about the genre of the game and anything else you need to know. The articles then have a personal opinion on the game and a list of likes and dislikes.

The audience is addressed in a formal way using gaming jargon to attract the right audience.

The YouTube review was very subjective he did not mention other people’s views on the game however the print reviews reviewed the game as a whole with many opinions as well as a personal overview. The layout of the print articles was in columns so it’s clear and easy to read with some bits of important information in boxes round the side to make it easy to find. The articles also contained many images of the game in action to make it more appealing and less boring to look at. Including images on the article also gives the audience some sort of idea about the gameplay before they purchase the product.

The articles I have studied all also seem to have a colour scheme matching headings, subheadings, standfirsts, borders and back rounds. I noticed the colours normally match the genre of the game for instance the review for ‘I am alive’ used green matching the genre and attracting a target audience of boys.

Overall I realized reviews as a whole are useful when it comes to deciding whether to purchase the game, however I think YouTube reviews are more effective because they show elements of the game being played. 

Nazi Zombies Review

I have looked at a Nazi Zombies review on youtube and I have noticed the conventions are different to print reviews. There is voice overs the game play, its very informal the person reviewing Nazi Zombies  is just explaining the game and how its played whilst playing split screen with a friend. He explains his opinion on the game as well as pros and cons. He mentions the star rating and platform information. There is no music in this review you can just hear the games sounds for example gun shots and explosions, I think this is to give you a real preview of the game.